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Cut Throat's Gold - Part 1b: Starting the Adventure
“We’ve come a long way to see Cal,” said Ilmarė. “How is he?”
Sebastian frowned. “His recovery has taken far longer than it should. Cal has been in and out of consciousness for weeks.”
“And what of Bijoux?”
The dark-kin smiled. Dril noted that his fangs were visible. “The fihali has not left his side. She has brewed a new concoction I’ve never seen before, from the Sulfur Marsh plants. I’m hopeful that it will wake the ss’ressen from his stupor.”
Just then, the six-foot tall lizardfolk came down the steps, escorted by a feline-like being with winged membranes between its arms. The odd couple slowly made their way over to the table.
“Cal!” said Vlad. He stood up to shake Cal’s hand. “How are you feeling?”
The lizard’s head swung from person to person, sniffing the air. “Better.” Calactyte put one hand out and patted the big man on the head. “Good to see you too.”
“It seems my stew worked.” Bijoux clung to Cal’s arm as if she alone were holding him up.
“I had a vision that my tribe was in trouble,” said Cal in a gruff voice. “Something about a Chosen One. They need my help. I’m going to go visit my village.”
“I’ll go with you, Cal,” said Sebastian. “It’s not that far from here. If Kialee’s estimations are correct, it shouldn’t be more than two day’s walk.”
“Great,” said Kham. “Well, I’ll go too. There are rumors of pirate treasure in the Sulfur Marsh…”
“I’m in,” Vlad said quickly before Kham finished.
“Maybe we can get rich while Cal reunites with his family,” said Kham. “Or whatever it is lizards have.” He threw one arm around Beldin. “I’m sure Beldin will go too. Because he’s such a good friend. Isn’t that right, Beldin?”
The dwarf grunted.
It was unspoken that where Cal went, Bijoux would go with him. The two outcasts had become quite attached to each other.
That left Ilmarė. They all turned to look at her expectantly.
“Fine,” said the elorii, throwing up her hands. “If the big lizard needs our help, we’ll help.”
Dril shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. You’re all going to go with this…thing?”
Kham took his lenses off to look Dril squarely in the eye. “Look, I know he looks like one of the Ssethregorans. But he’s all right. Saved my life once, as a matter of fact.”
Dril snorted. “I expect it from them, but you…you’re an Altherian!” He turned to address Cal, who watched him impassively. “No offense, but your people slaughtered my people.”
“How is that statement not offensive?” asked Ilmarė.
“Easy,” said Kham. He turned to Ilmarė. “Your people slaughtered my people. You keep threatening to wage a war on all of humanity, so I don’t see how this is any different.”
Sebastian put down his mug. “You shouldn’t judge people by appearances alone. Just because someone has a forked tongue, or fangs—“
“Or a tail,” added Kham.
Sebastian looked sideways at Kham. “Or a tail, doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily monsters. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’ve fought with Cal at our side before and he’s a stalwart ally.” He looked over at the dwarf. “Reliable friends are few and far between.”
Cal shrugged. “You guys can do whatever you want. I’m leaving.”
The ss’ressen grabbed his axe from behind the bar and made his way to the door.
Dril took a deep breath. “Fine. But if any of those things give me a reason, I will not hesitate to ends its life.”
Kham rose to his feet and adjusted the two bandoliers that crisscrossed his chest. “You’ll fit in just fine,” he said. “You sound just like the elf.”
“We’ve come a long way to see Cal,” said Ilmarė. “How is he?”
Sebastian frowned. “His recovery has taken far longer than it should. Cal has been in and out of consciousness for weeks.”
“And what of Bijoux?”
The dark-kin smiled. Dril noted that his fangs were visible. “The fihali has not left his side. She has brewed a new concoction I’ve never seen before, from the Sulfur Marsh plants. I’m hopeful that it will wake the ss’ressen from his stupor.”
Just then, the six-foot tall lizardfolk came down the steps, escorted by a feline-like being with winged membranes between its arms. The odd couple slowly made their way over to the table.
“Cal!” said Vlad. He stood up to shake Cal’s hand. “How are you feeling?”
The lizard’s head swung from person to person, sniffing the air. “Better.” Calactyte put one hand out and patted the big man on the head. “Good to see you too.”
“It seems my stew worked.” Bijoux clung to Cal’s arm as if she alone were holding him up.
“I had a vision that my tribe was in trouble,” said Cal in a gruff voice. “Something about a Chosen One. They need my help. I’m going to go visit my village.”
“I’ll go with you, Cal,” said Sebastian. “It’s not that far from here. If Kialee’s estimations are correct, it shouldn’t be more than two day’s walk.”
“Great,” said Kham. “Well, I’ll go too. There are rumors of pirate treasure in the Sulfur Marsh…”
“I’m in,” Vlad said quickly before Kham finished.
“Maybe we can get rich while Cal reunites with his family,” said Kham. “Or whatever it is lizards have.” He threw one arm around Beldin. “I’m sure Beldin will go too. Because he’s such a good friend. Isn’t that right, Beldin?”
The dwarf grunted.
It was unspoken that where Cal went, Bijoux would go with him. The two outcasts had become quite attached to each other.
That left Ilmarė. They all turned to look at her expectantly.
“Fine,” said the elorii, throwing up her hands. “If the big lizard needs our help, we’ll help.”
Dril shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. You’re all going to go with this…thing?”
Kham took his lenses off to look Dril squarely in the eye. “Look, I know he looks like one of the Ssethregorans. But he’s all right. Saved my life once, as a matter of fact.”
Dril snorted. “I expect it from them, but you…you’re an Altherian!” He turned to address Cal, who watched him impassively. “No offense, but your people slaughtered my people.”
“How is that statement not offensive?” asked Ilmarė.
“Easy,” said Kham. He turned to Ilmarė. “Your people slaughtered my people. You keep threatening to wage a war on all of humanity, so I don’t see how this is any different.”
Sebastian put down his mug. “You shouldn’t judge people by appearances alone. Just because someone has a forked tongue, or fangs—“
“Or a tail,” added Kham.
Sebastian looked sideways at Kham. “Or a tail, doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily monsters. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’ve fought with Cal at our side before and he’s a stalwart ally.” He looked over at the dwarf. “Reliable friends are few and far between.”
Cal shrugged. “You guys can do whatever you want. I’m leaving.”
The ss’ressen grabbed his axe from behind the bar and made his way to the door.
Dril took a deep breath. “Fine. But if any of those things give me a reason, I will not hesitate to ends its life.”
Kham rose to his feet and adjusted the two bandoliers that crisscrossed his chest. “You’ll fit in just fine,” he said. “You sound just like the elf.”